It is known to locally pretreat spotted cloth and clothing in the dry cleaning. industry prior to subjecting the cloth or clothing to a subsequent, overall dry cleaning process. Frequently, the pretreatment of spots is done on what is known in the dry cleaning industry as a spotting table or board (as used herein table will include xe2x80x9cboardxe2x80x9d). A spotting table generally is supported above the floor, has an arm-shaped table, shaped something like an ironing board, and is carried at a sufficient height to keep the clothes off the ground and at a convenient height for the operator. The top of the table has an edge or rim and/or an opening to form a drainage as will become more apparent from the discussion below. The clothes are placed on the table, for example, with a skirt or sleeve being positioned or arranged to make its outer spotted surface accessible.
The spotting table is used in conjunction with various spot treating liquids or treatments which are applied to the cloth to remove a spot. To assist in the removal of the applied liquids or treatments and some vapors, the spotting table usually has a vacuum source therein to suck or pull off the excess fluids and some vapors. Also to assist in the spot removal operation in loosening the spot and/or drying the treated spot, both steam and compressed air are provided. To control the vacuum, steam and compressed air, usually three foot valves are provided, one each for vacuum, air and steam. Generally, these valves are foot operated, pressing them down to turn them on and letting the valves up to turn them off. Foot operation of the valves is mandatory as the operators hands are needed to place and hold the cloth or clothes and to administer the various spot removing treatments. The vacuum valve is separately lead to the vacuum table, while the steam and air lines after their respective valves, are manifolded together to a common hose which leads up to a spotting gun. The spotting gun has a handle which is held by the operator and leads to a nozzle. The nozzle is replaceably thread on the end of the delivery pipe running through the handle and usually is shaped to provide a fan shaped spray discharge of compressed air or steam.
The disadvantage of this type design is that it was difficult to control the flow of compressed air and/or steam discharge using their foot valves and to regulate and control the amount of air or steam being used at the particular time. As the size and type of spot can greatly vary, one needs various amounts of steam and/or compressed air at various times to pretreat, treat, remove, and dry the spot. The control and regulation are particularly difficult for operators without a great deal of experience in operating a spotting table. The foot valves cannot be easily regulated, and it becomes tiring to stand on one heel and the other foot, while using the toe end of the one foot to try to regulate the flow of the steam or air to something less than full flow. While experienced operators have the knack for doing so, less experienced and novice operators have difficulty in doing so. Even for the experienced operator, use of the prior art spotting table can become tiring for these reasons.
The present invention is for a method and apparatus for easily regulating the flow of steam and/or compressed air for the spotting gun of a spotting table. The method comprises the step of turning on the flow of steam or air at the spotting table and a second step of regulating the flow to a desired flow rate for the particular phase of the spot removal process being carried out. Preferably, the step of regulating is accomplished manually to a set but variable flow rate or valve position as desired and/or needed.
The apparatus of the present invention is utilized in conjunction with a conventional spotting table, and comprises a spotting gun and an adjustable throttling means located between the discharge of the foot valves for air and steam on one part and the discharge of the nozzle of the spotting gun on the other part. Preferably this throttling means is located to be easily manually adjustable by the operator, and in the preferred form is located on the handle of the spotting gun so that it may be adjusted by one of the fingers or thumb of the hand of the operator holding the spotting gun. The throttle means may take the form of a ball or other type valve which is connected between the source of air/steam and the spotting gun nozzle, and has a trigger or handle manipulated by the operator. The valve is of the type that can be set to any position between fully open and fully closed and retains the set position until changed again by the operator. Thus, the operator can merely stand fully on the foot valve for the steam or supply with one foot, while using the other of his/her other feet to support his/herself, using one hand to hold the spotting gun while setting the throttle means or valve to a desired position with the same one hand, use the spotting gun, but yet have the other hand free to adjust the cloth/clothes and/or apply spot removing treatments. This new procedure is less tiring even for an experienced operator.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for treating spots in cloth or clothes using air and/or steam in a controlled flow.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for controlling the flow of air and/or steam to a spotting gun.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling the flow of air or steam to a spotting gun which does not depend upon varying the position of a foot valve of a spotting table.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a throttle means for regulating the flow of steam and/or air supplied from the foot valves of a spotting table.
A further object is to provide a valve on a spotting gun for controlling the flow of steam and/or air used by a spotting table.
Still a further object is to provide a manually operable valve on a spotting gun that may be manipulated by the hand of the operator holding the spotting gun.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following written description.